DAYTON  Teams that score only two field goals during the second half usually end up on the short end of the final score.

But that's what Fort Loramie did Friday night in handing Middletown Fenwick a 45-39 loss in a Division IV district championship game at University of Dayton Arena.

The Redskins only scored one field goal in each the third and fourth quarters but made 16-of-24 free throws, including 10-of-16 in the fourth quarter, to record the victory.

Fort Loramie advances to the Division IV regional semifinals on Tuesday against Tipp City Bethel.

I never thought any team could hold us to 39 points, Fenwick coach Pat Kreke said. But I also didn't think we would ever outscore an opponent 20-to-12 from the field and lose the game.

Fort Loramie coach Dan Hegemier felt fortunate the Redskins survived.

We've lost some pretty games, but I'd much rather win ugly like tonight, Hegemier said. They (Fenwick) came out and defended us well after the first quarter and made our kids work hard.

Fort Loramie made it look easy in the first quarter, scoring at will against Fenwick's man-to-man defense. Brad Rethman and Ryan Goldschmidt combined for 12 points to give the Redskins a 19-6 advantage.

We're a slow starting team and fell behind eight times this season and came back, Kreke said.

It was in the second quarter that Fenwick switched defenses.

We went to a 1-2-2 half-court trap, Kreke said. We came after them out front and kept pressure on the ball. We also put a body on No. 43 (Rethman) on the inside to stop him.

The strategy worked. The Falcons pulled within nine at halftime (25-16) and within six after three quarters (33-27).

Fenwck finally tied it at 36-36 all with 4:06 remaining. But Clint Aselage scored the Redskins only fourth quarter field goal at the 2:45 mark.

Fort Loramie then converted seven-of-eight free throws during the final 2:14 of the game.

They went to the (free throw) line 29 times and we only went six times, Kreke said. Maybe we were too aggressive tonight.

This will be Fort Loramie's first appearance in the regional semifinals since 1995. Fenwick last appeared in 1989.